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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23887831">Thou be Chained to Hell Itself</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GAR/pseuds/GAR'>GAR</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 5, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Akira and Ryuji are both dumbasses, Angst with a Happy Ending, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, phantom thieves powers linger in the real world, some non canon elements, will go all the way to after the games events</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 15:42:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,629</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23887831</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GAR/pseuds/GAR</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryuji would have never admitted it, but sometimes, Akira scared the living shit out of him.</p>
<p>A hurt/comfort Akiryu story that might lead past the game's events.</p>
<p>(violence tag cause I'm staying faithful to persona games)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kurusu Akira &amp; Sakamoto Ryuji, Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>315</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ryuji would have never admitted it, but sometimes, Akira scared the living shit out of him.<br/><br/>The others didn’t seem as perturbed. Akira was normally, well.. not that scary. He was quiet at best and playful/sarcastic at worst, but Ryuji had never seen him maliciously hurt a fly. And sure, Arsene wasn’t exactly the most reassuring of personas, what with the blood red suit, the claws, the face of burning fire and horns made out of darkness, but most personas had quirks. Besides, Arsene was charming; Poised.  A gentleman thief, Akira had explained to him one day as he slowly flipped the pages of a book supposed to tell its history. It might have also had to do with the fact that Akira barely ever took Arsene out in fights any more. Once he learnt to use new personas, the gentleman thief had taken himself backstage, and hadn’t returned. The only people that had seen Arsene in action for a consistent amount of time had been him, and Morgana.<br/><br/>But only he, Ryuji, had been there to see Akira awaken.<br/><br/>Only he had seen the amount of pure hatred, sin, concentrated wickedness, stemming from Akira’s eyes. The way his face was consumed in blood and hellfire as it was replaced by a demonic grin, flames and wind scattering the people and contents of the cell. In that moment, Ryuji had felt a fear so primal, that it had made him wonder if he had died by Kamoshida’s hands, and the devil had come to collect him.<br/><br/>Then he had realized, that gaze, a mix of ecstasy and murder, of sacrilege and contempt, was not directed at him. That evil, that.. punishment, was for Kamoshida. It had stunned Kamoshida speechless. This man, who had done so much wrong, stuttered in front of whatever Akira’s power. No.. in front of whatever Akira… was.<br/><br/>Ryuji's saving grace was that he, despite being dense in many areas, had always been fast on his feet. Akira’s intensity had dimmed, as his friend had snapped out of his daze. Arsene had vanished. Ryuji had moved quickly past the shock, grabbed Akira and ran. He could suppress those emotions and sort out whatever was happening later.<br/><br/>The other’s awakenings were not nearly as scary as what he had witnessed that day. There was blood. There were expressions of pain, of anger, in his case, of rage. But there was nothing like the evil Akira had released. He supposed he might have been scary too. His persona was a skeleton, after all, some kind of undead pirate captain. But he knew in his heart, that he wasn’t some herald of evil. Akira.. Akira might have been.<br/><br/>It made no sense though. Akira was the nicest guy he had ever met. He was his best bro. He looked out for everyone that showed him a smile, stayed strong and tried to help anyone in need. In the face of ruin, he always had a kind word or an easy gesture that would soothe and heal. He had helped him get over his own hang-ups, with his mother, with Kamoshida, with the track team. Because of Akira he had grown, grown beyond what he thought possible, heck, he had even managed to keep up with school.<br/><br/>Because of Akira he felt he belonged to something important, that he wasn’t a good for nothing, a reject, someone that would make his mother cry. He felt like he finally had a friend, a real friend that listened to him and watched out for him and forgave his constant, gross mistakes. That feeling had expanded to the rest of his team as more and more people had joined, and now Ryuji, who was raised by a single mother, felt like he could say he had an extended family.<br/><br/>It all started with Akira. This kind, warm, gentle guy who gave and gave and never asked for much back. Who had been a victim of society and without much reason was given something horrible to carry on his shoulders<br/><br/>Who had a demon chained inside him<br/><br/>Ryuji could see it sometimes, in the metaverse. As they fought side by side, Akira’s grey eyes would sometimes turn red. As he brutally slashed or unmasked an enemy, Akira’s face would morph into a debauched, possessed grin, when some weren’t looking. More than weren’t, it’s that the others didn’t know what to look for. Only he did, only he knew because only he had seen him,  that one time, truly unmasked.<br/><br/>And that one time had never happened again.</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/>“Hey Akira, how come you never take out Arsene to fight any more?”<br/><br/>He had asked him this around the time of Kaneshiro’s Palace. It had been a while since he had seen the winged demon.<br/><br/>“I don’t need to. Arsene is always with me.” He was met with a subdued smile<br/><br/>That reply had caused Ryuji to freeze on his tracks. He’d hoped the answer was that those feelings were gone. That Arsene wasn’t out any more because Akira wasn’t as evil any more, or well, to put in plainly, wasn’t suffering as much anymore, that he didn’t desire to punish others any more as viciously as that demon had desired.<br/><br/>How could his friend smile knowing the pain always by his side?<br/><br/>“Are you sure you aren’t just hiding him not to scare the others? Ah ah ah I mean, you’ve got one scary demon of a persona, bro” Ryuji had smiled nervously and scratched the back of his neck<br/><br/>That reply had caused an eerie silence to follow. Akira’s eyes, behind his glasses, had looked at Ryuji with shock, perhaps even a hint of betrayal, causing the guy to seriously want to bite his own tongue for having brought forward his worry.<br/><br/>Then Akira’s gaze had lowered, and the light reflecting off his glasses had made it impossible to tell any change of expression.<br/><br/>“.. Says you. Captain Kidd is not exactly easy on the eyes” The glasses had flashed, masking his dusky eyes, but showing his friend's cocky smirk.<br/><br/>It wasn’t as strong as it could have been. There was a heaviness behind it that only Ryuji could recognize. He felt his guts drop. He truly had betrayed him.<br/><br/>“Uh, I guess you’re right, we all got some scary personas deep down, don’t we?” He replied in cheerful nervousness. He wasn’t sure how to save this. Akira seemed to go along with his change of topic. He had nodded slowly at him and the conversation had quickly moved back to the best new Ramen shop they’d found.<br/><br/>Yes, they all had scary demons deep down, but Akira’s demon was also his will.<br/><br/>Akira was the demon.<br/><br/>Deep down, past that kindness, past that warmth, he kept catching glimpses of an endless, gaping hole of despair. One that even Ryuji, in all his fuck ups and outbursts, would never manage to beat.  And while he was certain Akira would never show that side to his friends, that he had control over it and, just as Arsene, had manners true of a gentleman, he also knew that having that strength, that power of evil, chained to him, meant that Akira was suffering. That he was torn and punished each coming day. That, to form his persona, his friend had accepted such punishment with open arms.<br/><br/>He just didn't get it. Nothing about Akira made sense. Not his calm, radiant smiles when he remembered the demonic face lurking beneath. Not his ability to have so many personas. Not his zeal while leading the phantom thieves. He just did it so effortlessly; Never complained, never faltered. Things didn't add up. Was he hiding things from them? Was he hiding how hurt he was?<br/><br/>He couldn’t get over it. He couldn’t get over Akira hurting. It made his blood boil. What kind of friend, no. What kind of right hand man was he if he'd let him suffer like this on his own. He had to do something.</p><p>But Akira didn’t have a palace, or a shadow. He’d checked the nav, quietly in his bedroom one day, wondering if maybe he could save him. Morgana said that people with personas were immune to such things, but he wanted to make sure. Akira’s reality wasn’t distorted. He didn’t impose his will on anyone, including himself. He saw things as they were. If he was pained, it meant he was simultaneously pained, and free.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>After his nag, Akira had taken longer to reply to his texting. Ryuji had felt a sinking feeling down his gut, trying his best to rationalize it as Akira being busy. It stung, it stung him especially badly, since he barely ever managed to keep his emotions in check, but he refused to act so insecure around him, not after Akira had gone out of his way trying to make him smile. No matter how many tiny voices in his head told him that he was a fuckup, that he was lower than dirt. With Makoto's reckless behaviour, they now had a mafia boss on their tail, and while Ryuji doubted his reputation could get any worse with a picture of him leaked, Akira's whole world could have crashed due to his probation. He was going to be strong for him and drop it. Eventually their friendship has settled back to normal.</p><p>He told himself that he wouldn't bother anymore. He did so almost every night, as he held his phone close to his heart, a text kept as a draft, almost sent to his friend. He remembered the time Akira had awakened. He remembered his smile after he'd gotten beat up by the track team. He eventually would put the phone away without pressing send.<br/><br/>News of their victory against Kaneshiro spread fast. Ryuji would be lying if he didn't admit he'd let it go to his head. He had never felt this cool in his entire life.<br/><br/>Summer days went by lazily, even after Medjed. Akira seemed relaxed, the few times he'd meet him. He wished he'd been closer to him, but the guy had been busy with his summer jobs. Something about saving money for the Hawaii trip. They mostly met for training, and fishing. Akira was getting nicely toned, and Ryuji couldn't help but stare a couple of times. Clearly, what he was feeling was just pride in having gotten together that far with their training. Nothing else. It wasn't those dark locks or doe eyes, looking at him gently.</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/>It was a humid, sweaty, beginning-of-September weekend when rain suddenly poured. The streets of Yongen quickly emptied. Great. Ryuji never brought anything waterproof with him.<br/><br/>It took him less of a second to decide to head to LeBlanc. To be honest, he would have probably done so even without the rain. It had been a week since he last saw Akira. This was just the perfect excuse.<br/><br/>LeBlanc was still and dusky. The petrichor from the rain outside mixed with the smell of coffee and spices as he walked in. The cafe always felt dark and warm, like a safe burrow in which to hide. It was empty, save for Sojiro cleaning cups behind the counter.<br/><br/>"We are about to clos.. oh, hey Ryuji. You're looking soaked, don't drag the water inside"<br/><br/>Sojiro had gotten used to him.<br/><br/>"Right boss" He gave him a cheeky smile and rubbed the back of his neck, carefully slipping off his shoes and giving himself a shake. "Is Akira here?" He asked sheepishly, squeezing his jacket outside the water outside the door, then closing it behind him.<br/><br/>Sojiro grunted. "Hasn't come down since lunch. He's grumpy today, go right upstairs.. Hey. Grab your shoes, this is a cafe, not a house! He should have a heater upstairs, you can use that to dry your stuff off"<br/><br/>"Right, sorry boss!" Ryuji did as Sojiro asked, quickly grabbing his stuff. Grumpy Akira? Not for much longer. He was going to kick his ass at videogames, that was for sure going to shift his mood...<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>"No, I asked if I could talk to him, could you please just pass the phone"<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/></p><p>Ryuji was about to shout, as he climbed up the last few stairs, that he was there, in order not to catch his friend off guard. He had never heard Akira raise his voice outside of when he was Joker. It stopped the words in his throat.<br/><br/>"Yes, I am his son."<br/><br/>"You just said he was in his office two minutes ago. How could he be gone?"<br/><br/>"Please don't.."<br/><br/>the phone chatter on the other side of Akira's voice went silent<br/><br/>"...Hang up"<br/><br/>The voice sounded defeated, broken.<br/><br/>Ryuji heard a 'thunk' as if Akira had ungracefully dropped himself on the bed nearby.<br/><br/>A soft, raspy murmur got out of him next<br/><br/>"Should I have even tried, Morgana?"<br/><br/>The room was silent.<br/><br/>Ryuji's arms were now trembling. He wanted to punch whomever was on the other side of Akira's phone. That had.. that had to be his father? He wanted to burst in there and tell his friend this wasn't what he deserved. But he remembered Akira's hurt and distance last time he'd tried to break through to him. He was intruding. He felt guilty to even be there, witnessing this. He stood still, unable to move.<br/><br/>Time seemed to be endless. He didn't know when he heard the first creak of the floorboards<br/><br/>The first laugh<br/><br/>It wasn't normal laughter. It kept breaking under the weight of something heavier. Under the weight of crying.<br/><br/>Ryuji was moving now, rushing up the stairs. His instincts had overridden his conscience. He turned the corner.<br/><br/>Before his eyes was Akira's room. Morgana was nowhere to be seen. Akira on the other hand, was sitting on the bed, phone dropped on the ground, no glasses on, and both hands gripping at his face, as if trying to contain his own skin. As soon as he moved into view, that face had turned towards him, a grin still stuck on him, unable to leave even now that he'd been discovered. The same grin as Arsene's. His eyes were poking between his grasping fingers and dark locks, open wide and... crimson red.<br/><br/>Ryuji's will had temporarily fled his body. He was, once again, staring at the devil. That primal fear had come back all at once. He couldn't help his leg moving back, ready to turn the other way and run. No. Fuck, he'd seen this before. This evil wasn't for him. Besides...</p><p> </p><p>The devil was crying.</p><p> </p><p>Ryuji had moved forward, against his better instincts, or perhaps following some that mattered more. Akira's hysterical laughter had been choked in place, by Ryuji slamming into him and gripping him tightly. It had made his friend whimper, the last chuckle a hiccup caught in his throat.  He was kept in place, Ryuji burrowing his neck over his shoulder, grasping Akira's back as if his friend's life depended on it. He shut his eyes, trying not to see. He just focused on listening to his friend's breath.<br/><br/>"Ah.. ah. ck.. ahh.. Ryu.. ahh"<br/><br/>The chuckles came out as hiccups now. He felt Akira's chest move frantically up and down against him. He could tell he was tense, struggling to say something, but unable to have his lungs co-operate.<br/><br/>He loosened his grip a tiny bit to allow him to breathe, swaying with him, trying to soothe that storm of hiccups and chokes.<br/><br/>It was almost like that one day they'd run so hard they both couldn't talk. Akira had gasped the same way. There wasn't the same amount of pain then, as there was now. It was just physical. This was his heart.<br/><br/>Akira was warm, and the heat was obnoxious, but he couldn't pay any mind to it now. He focused only on Akira's pained breathing as it slowed down and melded into the rainfall outside.<br/><br/>At some point, his friend had given up fighting him.<br/><br/>The air was still. Time didn't matter. Ryuji's whole life felt like it could be caught into this moment.<br/><br/>When only the sounds of rain were left, and his friend's chest had stopped rising so frantically, Ryuji had opened his eyes, slowly. It dawned on him what exactly he was doing. Akira was breathing against him, exhaling on his shoulder. They were both sweaty and holding onto each other at the edge of the bed.<br/><br/>He felt a heat rise within him and with that, a feeling of wrongness or... embarassment. This.. this wasn't him, also this wasn't the right time to.. fuck he had to get out of that hug now.<br/><br/>He pulled back a little too quickly, unable to hide a red flush on his cheeks. Seriously what the fuck was wrong with him. Akira had made him want to run for his life a minute ago.<br/><br/>Akira had frozen at Ryuji's quick move. He was still breathing deeply, the third time now Ryuji had seen him lack his usual composure. His eyes were still red, but lacking the same vibrance that had caused him such intense panic before. That, or maybe he was... getting used to them. It was the first time he had seen them like that outside of the metaverse.<br/><br/>He'd been silent, taking some time to shake himself out of his uncomfortable feelings. Akira was still breathing, looking at him, eyes open wide. He hadn't said anything or made a move.<br/><br/>Ryuji had raised a hand hesitantly, eventually, but put it back down again. He had moved closer to his best friend, waiting.<br/><br/>Eventually, Akira had spoken.<br/><br/>"What.. what are you doing here.." His voice struggled to keep together. There was some anger there, but mostly, it was the sound of someone overwhelmed.<br/>Ryuji had been unable to hide a blush. Again<br/><br/>"I'm sorry, bro. I was up here and I heard you. I just wanted to play some video games, I swear. I didn't mean to get into your personal business, but then I just. I mean I heard you crying like that and I couldn't just... " He trailed off, unable to keep his gaze. Those red eyes were unsettling.<br/><br/>"You.. You could have texted me"<br/><br/>"It was raining, i got soaked and.. it was kind of a last minute decision, and I was going to shout I was there but then I heard you at the pho.." Shit, he shouldn't have said that.<br/><br/>Akira almost choked, he gripped with one hand into his shirt, as if trying to reach his heart. Ryuji instinctively moved both his hands on his shoulders and felt a hint of relief when he didn't see Akira swat away his hands.<br/><br/>"Dude are you.. are you okay?"<br/><br/>"... You heard the call."<br/><br/>"I'm sorry, I have a big fucking mouth and I shouldn't have said anything"<br/><br/>Akira looked downwards. With a hand he'd moved now to grasp onto his glasses, which were neatly tucked to the side of his bed, as if he desperately needed them.<br/><br/>He was about to put them on his face, but stopped. Just held them in his hand.<br/><br/>"I need you to leave."<br/><br/>Those words cut into Ryuji like he was paper<br/><br/>".. Dude.. Akira.. I'm sorr.."<br/><br/>"You've got to go!" Akira's voice had raised itself again, it pierced the stillness of the room like a heated knife. His red eyes were burrowing into him now, as vibrant as before. That same feeling of dread overwhelmed Ryuji. This time, Akira's evil was for him. He was up from the bed, had jumped away, eyes wide with fear and.. something else, as Akira burnt him down.<br/><br/>He started running. Thank god Sojiro had left because he made his way down the stairs and out of the shop without sparing a single second for manners, into the rain again. Thunder roared above him. Tears fell down his cheeks but passerby's didn't notice. As far as they knew, he was one soaked kid, trying to get to cover.<br/><br/>In his room, Akira stared at the spot Ryuji had been. He stared at the glasses on his lap then.. scrambled.. to find his phone. He had to call him, to say something, to apologize. He frantically moved his fingers over the lock screen trying to digit his code, but, in his frenzy, he accidentally pulled up his camera.<br/><br/>That's when he saw his face, staring back at him. His expression, hateful. His eyes, red like blood. Piercing. Evil.<br/><br/>He dropped his phone, and with his hands, tried to make himself disappear. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'm writing this quick, so if you see a few edits in the previous chapters, you know what's up</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><b>Ann: </b> So, who is totally hype for this trip! Man, I can't believe it's tomorrow! It's going to be great! It's like our beach trip got a part two!!!<br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> I've been selected to accompany you guys, it seems it will be quite a few of us going. How has everyone been, I know these last few weeks of summer have kept me busy at least.<br/><br/><b>Yusuke:</b> I've been well myself, although I am disappointed my school couldn't head there as well. I miss you all fervently<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> Inari, that's way too aggro. Also, I don't get to go anywhere and it sucks &gt;:(<br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> It's true that we haven't kept in touch as much lately, I suppose we deserve the break after dealing with Medjed. It seems our popularity has skyrocketed, it won't hurt to lay low for a bit.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Have you guys heard from Akira recently? He looked kinda distant in class. Hasn't posted here in a while now.<br/><br/><b>Yusuke: </b> I was about to ask myself, he is usually quite adamant about hanging with me at least once per week for my sketching practice, haven't seen him lately, perhaps it is this part time job you mentioned keeping you away friend?<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Futaba, have you seen him at all recently?<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> He was at the cafe this morning. Seemed busy though. I think he's just avoiding his phone, I had to walk to his room to get my game copy back from him.<br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> We are having this conversation right in front of his nose, shouldn't he be able to see it?<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> I don't care, he's not replying. Akira are you there? If you've been grinding for money all this time you better get me some ice cream once we hit hawaii!<br/><br/><b>Yusuke:</b> Ryuji, perhaps you know more about this. You are his right hand man, after all<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Now that I think about it, Ryuji has also been oddly quiet since this weekend...<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Hasn't even chimed in once about how popular the phantom thieves are now, and how we should totally go pick up our next target! What's up man? At this pace you're never going to reveal our identity to the entire world as intended.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Waaaait... Did you guys have a lover's quarrel?<br/><br/><b>Yusuke:</b> L... Lovers? Could it be!!? That would be one passionate tale!<br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> Yusuke I.. I think it's a figure of speech....<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> Now that you mention it, I think Ryuji was the last one to visit him, Sojiro told me. It was a few days ago. Dude was soaked from the rain!<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> That's our Ryuji!<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Where is he though??<br/><br/>** Ryuji is Typing **<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> Shit, Ann summoned him, everyone, run for your lives!<br/><br/><b>Ryuji:</b> You guys are horrible<br/><br/><b>Yusuke:</b> The summoning was successful! Now if only we could do the same for our fearless leader. Perhaps Ryuji knows a method.<br/><br/><b>Ryuji:</b> Ah, I wouldn't look at me...</p><p><b>Ann:</b> Was.. was I right?<br/><br/><b>Futaba: </b> &gt;:0<br/><br/><b>Ryuji:</b> What? No haha no we aren't lovers come on Ann. And He's been busy. Look I'm sure he's fine. He'll show up here eventually.<br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> You do seem oddly deflective, Ryuji<br/><br/><b>Ryuji:</b> Can we please drop it? Please. Also uhm I'm in a different class so I'll probably see your faces less on the trip, sorry.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> What!!???!!</p><p><b>Ann:</b> Are you telling me that you, Ryuji Sakamoto, have finally decided not to ditch class to hang out with us, all of a sudden?<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Oh, something's very fishy<br/><br/>**Akira is typing**<br/><br/><b>Ryuji:</b> Right, see, he's here! And I think I have to go<br/><br/>**Ryuji has gone offline**<br/><br/><b>Futaba</b> : &gt;:|c<br/><br/><b>Akira:</b> Everyone, thanks for worrying, but I'm fine. I made enough money, and I'm excited to go on a trip with all of you.<br/><br/><b>Akira:</b>   I've just been really busy with some personal things. I didn't mean to burden the group with them. Ryuji sort of got caught up in it. I'm sorry if any of you got worried.<br/><br/><b>Akira:</b> I'm happy to see him too, tomorrow.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Are you okay, Akira?<br/><br/><b>Yusuke:</b> You know you can always come and talk to me, my friend. You've done so much for all of us<br/><br/><b>Makoto</b> : I am here as well, for both you and Ryuji, but I won't press you. I've learnt from my mistakes.<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> I don't really get it, but if you want me to hack Ryuji's twitter to post he's a poophead, I can do it!<br/><br/><b>Akira:</b> It's not like that. Please don't.<br/><br/><b>Akira:</b> I have to go pack, I'll see you all soon. Yusuke, since I can't see you, I'll come visit you right after the trip. I'm looking forward to helping with your art.<br/><br/>**Akira has gone offline**<br/><br/><b>Futaba:</b> &gt;:(<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Something definitely happened<br/><br/></p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/><br/>"I guess you're going tomorrow."<br/><br/>Akira was standing in his bedroom, facing his phone, eyes once again dusky, and a grimace on his face. Morgana rolled on a side of his bed, looking at him.  The cat looked.. sad.<br/><br/>"Akira.. something's up with you. Why can't you tell me?"<br/><br/>Akira turned towards him, mildly caught off guard.<br/><br/>"You know, just cause I can't use a phone, doesn't mean I can't just walk over to Futaba and ask her right now!"<br/><br/>"I'm fine."<br/><br/>Yeah, that wasn't going to cut it with Morgana.<br/><br/>"...I just took your advice, last time. You know, about trying to reconnect? I think you were in mementos that day. It... didn't go well."<br/><br/>His face was a blank slate, but he put just enough emotion in it that the cat was satisfied.<br/><br/>Morgana fell quiet. Once again, the room was still. "Ah. I guess that makes sense. Well, you have us, at least. We are your family"<br/><br/>"...Yeah" Akira exhaled. His reply lacked conviction. Almost cut into the other's sentence.<br/><br/>Was Morgana.. embarrassed? "Ah Ah Ah.. I mean, I guess a stray cat.. cough.. I mean, human, like me doesn't know much about family anyway. Sorry, for the bad advice."<br/><br/>Akira nodded slowly. "It isn't on you. I made the decision. I guess it was important that I tried." His gaze was distant, distracted. It made Morgana feel like.. that answer wasn't sincere.<br/><br/>"Hey, Morgana... do you know if things from the metaverse end up carrying over, you know, here in the real world?"<br/><br/>The cat's ears perked.<br/><br/>"That's a weird question" Morgana looked at Akira suspiciously. "You know they do, Joker! You got those treasures off of people's consciousness, you get money and items off monsters regularly. Besides, I'm here, right, shouldn't that be proof enough?"<br/><br/>Akira flinched at being called his codename. This was weird. He usually took it with pride.<br/><br/>"What if our costumes carried over?"<br/><br/>"That couldn't happen. Your costumes are a result of the palace's perception of you, combined with your own. You wouldn't be able to get that outside of a palace. Only humans and objects should be able to leave."<br/><br/>More silence. Morgana could almost hear it in his ears: <em> You got through though </em><br/><br/>"Why are you asking, anyways?"<br/><br/>"... Nothing, Just some money scheme I kind of thought of. Working this much over summer just for cash scraps has definitely been a pain." It wasn't false, but there was more, Morgana could sniff it, but he couldn't say for sure. Akira had turned over to the cat with another, quiet smile, hiding lord knows what thoughts.<br/><br/>"I guess. That's surprising. It's more like Ryuji than you to go thinking about this stuff..." Morgana's voice was a little more venomous than he'd like. He was too self absorbed to notice the way Akira had tensed next to him as he said Ryuji's name. He was tired of trying to help. He'd lowered his head down, looking sadly at the covers. Why would Akira even tell him anything. Ever since Futaba had gotten there, he'd become obsolete. He couldn't even give advice right. He was a useless cat after all. And tomorrow he was going to be left alone for a whole week. He hated feeling like this nagging child.<br/><br/>He had to stop contemplating this. He'd move past this issue too, right?<br/><br/>"Well, what are you sitting there for. You should go to sleep. You won't be rested at all otherwise."<br/><br/>Akira looked as sorrowful as the cat, nodding quietly to him. He was nervous, this much Morgana could tell. But he wasn't going to help even if he tried. His help was useless after all.<br/><br/>Eventually the two drifted off to sleep. In the middle of the night, Morgana moved in closer, to sleep next to Akira's chest. If Akira didn't notice, it was ok. He just needed it. He didn't want to be left alone.<br/><br/></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p><br/><br/>The airport wasn't too crowded, which made it difficult for Akira to hide. He'd given up on it. He was used to being the target of everyone's disapproval, what was a few more people on his list. A few more friends.. his best friend.<br/><br/>He had fucked up, bad.<br/><br/>If it weren't for it being mandatory, for him knowing he'd disappoint everyone that had dared to believe in him, and give all those who wished him crushed more material to hurt him, he wouldn't have left Tokyo. Two days wasn't exactly enough to come to terms with what had happened. He'd already been pulling all sorts of acrobatic stunts to dodge Makoto and Ann at school. Thank god Futaba and Yusuke tended to be more reserved.<br/><br/>He knew he had to be strong, and face this, if he wanted to keep his friends. If he wanted the Phantom Thieves to live.<br/><br/>But was he even good for them? Did he deserve them? He had never felt weaker than now. Even during his first move to Tokyo, eye of disgust and rumors for everyone he met, he'd found himself with more resolve. His confidence felt shattered, in pieces he struggled to keep glued together. He only kept going through the motions.<br/><br/>He glanced around with baited breath. Ryuji was nowhere to be seen.<br/><br/>"Hey, Akiraaaa"<br/><br/>Ann waved at him, smiling, followed by Makoto, who glanced at him searchingly. If Only Ryuji hadn't talked in the chat and made them worry. He wasn't ready to face any of this. He'd try working himself through it in his room, and then he'd looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes just a shade of red too bright. <br/><br/>The two girls had sensed his nervousness. Akira felt thankful for the both of them not trying to harass him right away. Their wait for boarding had been mostly about their summer, and small talk.<br/><br/>"Hey, where's Ryuji?" Ann chimed, looking back at the line, as they boarded the plane. "that guy is always late, but do you think..."<br/><br/>Akira scratched his head, trying to shrug the sinking gut feeling. "I'm not sure..."<br/><br/>"His class should be boarding after ours, from what I hear" Makoto bit her lip. "I'm not assigned to them, so I'd be breaking post to go check."<br/><br/>"That idiot, he better not have slept in." Ann's hand had curled up in a fist. there's something she wasn't saying.<br/><br/>"Hold on, hold on I'm.. ahhh.. I'm here"<br/><br/>The yelling could be heard way far back in the line. Everyone had recognized that voice immediately. Ryuji was never quiet or subtle. There was a small ruckus at the end of the line, as the teachers began scolding him.<br/><br/>Ann waved at him, beaming with a smile. Ryuji waved back, as soon as he lost the teachers attention, with a cheeky grin. Then he noticed Akira, behind her, observing him. His expression immediately darkened, and he lowered his arm, trying to pretend like he suddenly had to look at a nearby classmate.<br/><br/>Something clutched at Akira's chest. Tight. His memories flashed to Ruyji holding onto him for dear life, that rainy afternoon. He felt it, except now, it felt more.. violent, as if some phantom was tearing into his skin.<br/><br/>Ann and Makoto didn't lose any of this. They both turned to glance at Akira, frowning.<br/><br/>That's it. This is where he was going to die. Shadows were way easier to deal than this.<br/><br/>His sweat must have been visible, cause both were about to open their mouths.<br/><br/>"Hey Akira. Teach just gave us our seating arrangements, looks like I'll be next to you. You took the window, lucky!"<br/><br/>Holy shit, he'd never, ever been more thankful than now for Mishima.<br/><br/>The blue haired kid had completely been oblivious to both Ann and Makoto's glares<br/><br/>"Ah and it looks like Takamaki-san and Nijima-san are also paired close" He stated, looking at a seating chart. "How convenient!"<br/><br/>"CLASS 24A, BOARDING" A teacher shouted in the distance.<br/><br/>"That's us, we are in the back, so we should get in first, come on let's go, I've got a lot to tell you about. The website has gone crazy this summer, it's almost a miracle come true..."<br/><br/>Mishima grabbed him by the arm, and Akira didn't think once about resisting. He got carried off, two girls dumbfounded behind him.<br/><br/></p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Mishima had been his unbreakable shield, his unknowing one man fortress, since they had gotten off the plane.<br/><br/>At this point, any mention of the phantom thieves website was close to instantly provoking him a small migraine, but it was a fair price to pay in exchange for Mishima's protection from the dangers beyond. <br/><br/>To end it with a flourish, the teachers had paired them both in a room. He didn't know whether to cry tears of joy, or despair.<br/><br/>Ryuji was nowhere to be seen.<br/><br/>By evening, the girls had figured out they could text him.<br/><br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><b>Makoto:</b> Akira, if you don't mind. I said I wouldn't nag you for details, but me and Ann both agree we should meet to talk about.. whatever is going on.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Ryuji came and talked to us, but he wouldn't say anything about you. He also won't reply to any of my texts! You can't get away from this, man. We were supposed to have a vacation together, you know.. as a team.<br/><br/><b>Futaba</b> : You should listen to them both, Akira. It's not nice to hide from others. I'm talking from first hand experience! My closet was so uncomfortable.<br/><br/></p><p>That closet text made Akira grip his phone screen.. a little too tight.</p><p><br/><b>Ann:</b> Ah, of course Futaba bugged her way into this chat too. Have you managed to talk to Ryuji?<br/><br/><b>Futaba: </b> Nah, he doesn't answer. I was going to hack his camera but then I remembered that whole talk Makoto gave me about boundaries, and privacy, and he doesn't seem so in danger that I'd need to break those. So I didn't.<br/><br/><b>Makoto</b> : Well.. here's to small victories.<br/><br/>**Akira is typing**</p><p><br/><br/>What.. what was he even going to tell them.<br/><br/>Was he going to lie to them?<br/><br/>Was he going to keep answering without addressing the issue?<br/><br/>Was he going to tell them the truth?<br/><br/>Was he even sure of his truth?<br/><br/>He.. he couldn't</p><p><br/><br/>**Akira has gone offline**<br/><br/><b>Ann</b> : Shit<br/><br/><br/><br/>His hands were shaking.<br/><br/>Mishima didn't notice<br/><br/>"I'm going to take a walk outside. Can you cover for me?" His voice had kept composed enough.<br/><br/>"Uh, Sure. Isn't that against the curfew rules though? If they catch you you could be in serious trouble"<br/><br/>That's right. His probation. even doing something like this was a risk for him.<br/><br/>He was tired of that. He was tired of the cramped cell that was his life, and persecuted him even in his dreams. Now his friends made it feel even smaller.<br/><br/>"I know, I'll be back quickly, and besides"<br/><br/>Joker took over him, as he flashed Mishima a grin.<br/><br/>"You know who you're talking to, right? I won't get caught."<br/><br/>Mishima was completely stunned. He looked like a kid that had just found out Santa was real. Almost like he'd seen something beyond Akira Kurusu's grin.<br/><br/>Joker coughed, trying to break the silence. "So, do I have your word you'll cover me?"<br/><br/>" I.. Ah .. Aye Aye C-Captain! I'll hold down the fort, of course!"<br/><br/>He was already regretting this.<br/><br/>"Okay. Keep the balcony open till I come back. It's not cold anyway."<br/><br/>"B-But.. we're on the first floor!"<br/><br/>Akira didn't answer him. He'd been training with Ryuji all summer. The metaverse enhanced his abilities, making all his sneaking around much easier, but he'd made sure those teachings stayed in the real world. He might not have been able to pull the same level of stunts, but he could climb down a first story building into the park below... In theory. The risk was being seen. Thankfully, they were in the back. Little to no light, except for the moon above them. All he needed to do was get down, and cross over said park till he was out of the premises. He'd climb back in later.<br/><br/>"I'm leaving my phone here, don't worry, I won't need it"<br/><br/>He didn't want Futaba tracking him.<br/><br/>"Are.. are you sure.."<br/><br/>He'd grabbed a small wind jacket, and tucked his glasses and phone under his bed, after putting the phone on silent. Before Mishima could finish, he was on the balcony.<br/><br/>Doubt surfaced as he looked downwards. He could climb this. He knew that. He just had done it with training equipment and scrapyards... not actually buildings. Not while trying to stay unnoticed. This.. this was going to be very different from the metaverse.<br/><br/>This was so stupid. And risky. Was this what he wanted. Was this his truth?<br/><br/>He thought about Ryuji running from him<br/><br/>He thought about that call.<br/><br/>He grabbed the railing, and vaulted over it. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ryuji, sighed, and opened the door to his balcony.<br/><br/>The moon was full, in a clear sky. His roommate was nowhere to be found. Probably snuck into a girl's room. He knew he had a girlfriend here.<br/><br/>His phone buzzed.<br/><br/><b>Ann:</b> Hey Ryuji, come on, answer us you prick. Akira's...<br/><br/>*Click*<br/><br/>Yeah, he wasn't going to do that. He knew Ann and Makoto enough to know they were going to butt in, and that was the last humiliation he could suffer.<br/><br/>He dropped the phone on his bed, and stared at the sky, trying to feel in the breeze.<br/><br/>He gritted his teeth.<br/><br/>Fuck. This trip <em> sucked </em><br/><br/>He had to do something, but what could he do!?<br/><br/>He felt like a reject. It was a feeling he was used to, but had managed to forget for a while, thanks to Akira, mostly. It stung to get acquainted with it again.<br/><br/><em> I need you to leave </em></p><p>Those words still rang clear in his head. He'd heard the same, back in the track team. When he'd fucked up their chances at a future.<br/><br/>Man.. he.. he.. was scared. He missed his best bro, but he just couldn't forget that hateful gaze, it had touched something in his heart. As much as he tried he couldn't get closer. What right did he have anyways. Akira hated him.<br/><br/>He wondered what Akira was doing, right now.<br/><br/><br/>"A.. Are you sure??"<br/><br/>Mishima's voice rang, from six balconies to his left.<br/><br/>Shit.. shit, wasn't Akira supposed to be rooming with him?<br/><br/>Ryuji dropped to the ground, taking cover behind the railing. After a small silence, he hesitantly, peaked his head out, so see who was there.<br/><br/>That's when he caught sight of Akira, in a wind jacket, raising his hood up to hide his face and.... vaulting over his railing??!<br/><br/>Ryuji's heart caught in his throat, thinking that Akira was going to jump, or that he had snapped and thought this was the metaverse. Instead, he saw his friend's silhouette hanging over the railing, like a monkey, both his arms tense. He swung himself to a side, managing to grab onto a ledge below. from there, all he had to do was grip on a few surfaces to get down to ground level. He started crossing the park, clearly making his way to somewhere outside the hotel.<br/><br/>Ryuji's mouth was hanging open slightly.<br/><br/>Wait... What was that idiot doing!?! He was on probation? Fuck, Ryuji wasn't smart but even he could tell that was a bad, no, a terrible move. Sneaking out alone, at night, and in a foreign country? Shit could get seriously dangerous.<br/><br/>Fuck.. fuck he had to go after him. But if he followed it would be just like that day, Akira would tell him to get lost. Shit, no, that didn't matter, he had to make sure he was safe.<br/><br/>If Akira could pull it off, so could he.<br/><br/>He grabbed onto the railing himself, and jumped.<br/><br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>The pier was quiet. A few lamp posts shed small light onto concrete, shut down beach showers, vending machines and benches, but at the very far edge of it, facing the water, no lamp posts were to be found. There was only darkness, the sound of a few waves, gently crashing against rocks below, and moonlight, reflecting off the surface of the sea.<br/><br/>Akira sat at the edge, bathing in it. His posture still, composed as usual. His black wind jacket with his hood up, making him not more than a dark silhouette in the middle of the reflected moonlight.<br/><br/>His eyes lingered on the surface of the water, and the waves slowly moved towards him, only to break on stone, right before they could reach him. He felt like it meant something, but couldn't tell what it was.<br/><br/>It was peaceful. But lonely. He couldn't believe he'd pulled that balcony stunt in the real world. He didn't regret it though, it felt right. The chains binding him were becoming too many.<br/><br/>He needed the loneliness. It was the only time he felt he could safely not wear a mask.<br/><br/>His thoughts drifted to Ryuji. To that hug. For a second there, he had felt safe too. Just before he'd snapped at him.<br/><br/>The reason he donned the mask was to hide that ugly.. that unpleasant side of him. To carry the burden so that his friends wouldn't. To protect them. He vowed to only remove his mask, use that evil against his enemies, not his friends. That was what Arsene was, a gentleman thief. Kind with his allies and ruthless with all who stood against his own justice.<br/><br/>He'd broken that promise.<br/><br/>Was his own justice... going to hurt those around him?<br/><br/>Then, was it safe for his friends to even be there, by his side?<br/><br/>No... That wasn't the whole truth. There was more.<br/><br/>He remembered trying to call his father.</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/>"Hey, there, sexy. What'cha doing here?"<br/><br/>"Wanna have some fun?"<br/><br/>"I'm.. not interested. I'f you'll excuse me.."<br/><br/>"Oh, a Japanese speaker, don't worry, we speak your language. Plenty of tourists coming by in this hood. You on a school trip?"<br/><br/>"Man, you girls from abroad are hot."<br/><br/>"I.. It's none of your business"<br/><br/>"Now, why would you be this rude to us, huh?"<br/><br/>"We are just trynna show you our hospitality."<br/><br/><br/></p><hr/><p> </p><p>Voices reached Akira's ears from far away and snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned around, searching for the source.<br/><br/>Under one of the lamp posts, near the vending machines. A japanese girl, young, long dark hair, a small, elegant ribbon to the side. Holding a bottle of sweetened tea, probably just bought it off there.<br/><br/>Two thugs, one slimmer than the other, a blonde and a skinhead, both pretty big. American builds. Had to be past their twenties. Surrounding her.<br/><br/>Akira's blood froze.<br/><br/><em> Damn brat. I'll sue.<br/><br/></em><br/><br/>One of the thugs grabbed her arm. The girl whimpered.<br/><br/>"Let go of me, creep!"<br/><br/></p><p><br/>He had to do something, but he wasn't even supposed to be there.<br/><br/>He remembered far too well what happened last time. Was there a way he could help without getting involved?<br/><br/>He tried reaching his pockets for his phone, to call 911... fuck. He'd left it in the room.<br/><br/>He felt himself sweating, his heart beating wildly<br/><br/><em><em class="">Was your previous decision a mistake then?</em></em><br/><br/>His instincts moved him forward. He stayed out of sight, getting closer.. hiding behind a vending machine. Maybe he could... Throw something at them or... yell... scare them off without showing himself.</p><p><br/><br/>"What the fuck did you just say to me, bitch!?"<br/><br/>"How about we teach you goddamn manners"<br/><br/>"No. Get off me!"<br/><br/>"Hahaha, you're going to be a nice plaything for us toni..."<br/><br/></p><p><br/>A small rock smashed itself into the blonde's skull, coming from somewhere close<br/><br/>"Hey Assholes, over here! How about you pick on someone who can fight you!"<br/><br/>Akira hadn't thrown it.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Ryuji stood about 10 feet away from them both. Under the lamplight.<br/><br/>One of the thugs helped the other stand as he gripped at his head. He was bleeding.<br/><br/>Ryuji ran in. As he did, he yelled at the girl: "Run!!!" He said, while putting up his guard in front of her.<br/><br/>The girl hesitated.<br/><br/>"Are you dumb!? Get out of here now!"<br/><br/>She listened this time after a small whimper, and ran away<br/><br/><br/><br/>"What do you think you're doing, brat"<br/><br/>"You're gonna pay us twice, for the injury, and loosing us the girl"<br/><br/>Ryuji charged before the thug could finish the sentence. He slammed another fist into the blonde's head. He swung too wide.<br/><br/>His fist was stopped by the skinhead.<br/><br/>Pain erupted in his abdomen, as he felt a knee to the chest. He dropped to the ground<br/><br/>"This is gonna hurt you."<br/><br/>A kick. Another one.<br/><br/>A crash.<br/><br/><br/></p><p>The lamp post above them had gone out. Glass clattered on the ground. It was smashed by something thrown.<br/><br/>Something had slammed itself into the skinhead that was kicking him. He felt the sound of the vending machine toppling as the thug crashed into it.<br/><br/>"Get up!"<br/><br/>That was.. Akira's voice. He was panicked.<br/><br/>Those were Akira's arms, trying to help him stand.<br/><br/>He heard a cracking sound, and the arms left him.<br/><br/>He picked himself up, trying to see under the moonlight.<br/><br/>Akira was on the ground next to him now, eyes open wide, he'd scrambled quickly to one side, before the blonde thug could kick him. Ryuji didn't have time to think. He used his legs to trip the aggressor, making him fall.<br/><br/>He picked himself up, kicking into the guy some more. Akira had just stood up too. He grabbed his hand in the dark.<br/><br/>"Let's run."<br/><br/>*tick*<br/><br/>The sound of a trigger.<br/><br/>Akira felt cold, hard metal on his forehead.<br/><br/>Right. They weren't in Japan any more. This was the United States.<br/><br/>The lamp-post turned back on, flickering. Throwing a rock at it hadn't finished it off. Everyone could see each other now.<br/><br/>Ryuji could see the blonde thug holding his best friend at gunpoint.<br/><br/><br/><br/>"You guys aren't going anywhere. Both of you freeze, or you're dead."<br/><br/>Ryuji froze.<br/><br/>He felt someone grab him from behind. He repressed his instinct to struggle, his whole body shaking.<br/><br/>Something sharp slid over his neck. The other guy was holding a knife.<br/><br/>The two thugs looked pretty beaten up. Despite the bigger physique, Akira and Ryuji both had managed to attack them by surprise and use dirty tricks to their advantage.<br/><br/>But none of them could even process that right now. Emotion was numbing most of their thoughts.<br/><br/>"You damn brats messed up real good. You're going to give us all your money now, and then maybe we'll see if we are letting you live."<br/><br/>"After we beat you up real good"<br/><br/>Akira was looking right down the barrel of the gun. Ryuji could tell he was shaking, but like always he was trying. Trying to keep it in. Trying to be the leader. His eyes had moved from the thug to Ryuji. Dusky eyes. Kind eyes. Grieving eyes. He was looking at him as if he was never going to see him again.<br/><br/>Ryuji had watery eyes, but he wasn't crying. The knife was pressing too hard on his neck. He couldn't say a thing, but his grimace expressed all his sorrow. His regret.<br/><br/>The eye contact didn't stop. Nothing was said. It didn't need to.<br/><br/><br/><br/>"Hey, did you hear me, dead meat? These are the rules. I said hand over your money and phone."<br/><br/>"I don't have them." Akira's voice had come out a little too meek.<br/><br/>"Do you want to die kid? Huh? If you don't show me cash right now, Your friend gets his throat cut first."<br/><br/>"..."<br/><br/>The gun got closer to his face. Akira didn't stop looking at Ryuji. There was just a fleck of red in his eyes. </p><p>That fear that came with it. For some reason, right now, Ryuji didn't feel it.<br/><br/>"Keeping quiet? Okay, how about we carve a little present into your friend's skin"<br/><br/>"... Wait. Hold on. I have it. Don't do anything."<br/><br/>Akira's voice was calm now.<br/><br/>He moved his hands slowly, to reach into his pockets<br/><br/>The lamp light above them flickered out again</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em> What is the truth?<br/><br/>Didn't I awaken Arsene to protect him?<br/><br/>Why was I ashamed of who I am in front of them<br/><br/>In front of him<br/><br/>I can't escape my life. I'm bound to hell through my own will. I've embraced it. That was my choice. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And I'll use it to never, ever, let them get hurt again. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Akira's eyes never left Ryuji. they were now blood red, and glittered like rubies in the darkness.<br/><br/>They turned towards the thug, lightning fast.<br/><br/>"What the he.. mph"<br/><br/>He grabbed the barrel of the gun, pulling it off his forehead and quickly to the side facing away from Ryuji. With his other arm he chopped onto the man's wrist, causing him to drop grip. It was fast enough to get his hand off the trigger before he could pull it. Using the momentum, he swung the arm behind his back in a lever and kicked the thug's back calf, causing him to fall on his knees. Mid swing, he grabbed the gun and passed it over his good hand. He was now lodged above him, using one arm to hold him in a clutch,<br/><br/>The lamp-light came back on. Akira had the gun pointed at the man's head.<br/><br/>Glowing eyes of crimson. He was.. smiling. A wicked smile, looking down on the one he punished. His finger caressed the trigger. Everyone else could hear that faint ticking of metal.<br/><br/>His eyes moved over to the man holding Ryuji. That grin remained<br/><br/>"How about we follow my rules now. Release my friend, and you two both walk with your life."<br/><br/>This was Joker. No, this was something darker than Joker. The tone was glacial, yet sultry. It was cocky. It almost felt like this was a game to him.<br/><br/>Ryuji could feel the grip of the man behind him falter.<br/><br/>".. What, how.. no, how the hell did you?"<br/><br/>Akira pressed the barrel of the gun into the man's cheek, never breaking eye contact with the other<br/><br/>"Don't keep me waiting. Release him."<br/><br/>The man beneath him spit on the ground.<br/><br/>"You don't have the guts to do it, kid. Do you want to end up a murderer? That's a lotta jail time. If you give me the gun now we'll spare both of your lives, okay? we'll call it even."<br/><br/>Akira's crimson eyes move on to stare at him.<br/><br/>" Ah... Ah Ah... Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah"<br/><br/>That was straight up a villainous laugh. Ryuji couldn't put it any better than that, and he'd probably be laughing about it, if he wasn't about to piss himself.<br/><br/>His eyes narrowed and he crouched a little, moving closer to his captive's ear.<br/><br/>He almost purred<br/><br/>"You think I won't do it?"<br/><br/>He moved the gun further up, next to the man's temple.<br/><br/>The man's expression changed. Ryuji could feel a chill down his spine.<br/><br/>"Are you ready to take that bet?"<br/><br/>It was as if a shockwave had hit, all three of them. Stemming from the devil in front of them. Was this.. killing intent?<br/><br/>"F.. f.. fuck bro... This kid's some kinda psycho.. l..let's just leave..."<br/><br/>The man below him was sweating bullets. He couldn't speak.<br/><br/>Akira cocked the gun.<br/><br/>"Alright.. alright wait! He's free, look?" The other Thug, holding Ryuji, dropped his knife and let Ryuji go.<br/><br/>Ryuji quickly jerked away from him, holding onto his bruised neck.<br/><br/>Akira, still with that wicked smile, didn't move an inch.<br/><br/>"W.. well? You are gonna release him now, right?"<br/><br/>Those crimson eyes burnt into him.<br/><br/>"Give me your phone."<br/><br/>"W..What.. h-Hey you said if I released him we'd walk with our l-life"<br/><br/>"Your life. Not your phone."<br/><br/>Akira's tone was almost delighted.<br/><br/>"Do it or he dies."<br/><br/>The man quickly grabbed a flip phone, and handed it over. Akira grabbed it with his free hand, while keeping the man under down with his elbow.<br/><br/>He pressed a few buttons on it, before closing it, and throwing it back to its owner. Ryuji thought he heard the faint noise of a camera.<br/><br/>With a grin, he let go the other thug from his clutch. He still pointed the gun right at his head, posing just like he was in Joker's clothes, as the man had scrambled up to his feet.<br/><br/>"Now leave."<br/><br/>The two thugs didn't let themselves hear it twice.<br/><br/><br/><br/>Akira waited, watching till they were gone from sight.<br/><br/>He turned, giving Ryuji a sideways glance. Those crimson eyes looked.. sad.<br/><br/>Ryuji couldn't move. Or speak.<br/><br/>Akira looked away quickly. He walked over to a trash bin and emptied the bullet chamber. Iwai had shown him how, after all. He then brushed the gun against his jacket, trying to wipe any fingerprints<br/><br/>He approached the edge of the docks and threw it into the ocean.<br/><br/>He watched it splash in the distance.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Ryuji still couldn't process what had happened. It felt like a wild fever dream, or a blur of memories after a roller coaster ride.<br/><br/>But they could have died, because of him.<br/><br/>That's why he couldn't move right now. Akira's punishment? He felt like he deserved it too. Those eyes weren't gentle, they were full of rage, and he couldn't help feeling like it was directed at him.<br/><br/>But.. it wasn't, was it? <br/><br/>No. It wasn't<br/><br/>He'd found the strength to move. One step, then another.<br/><br/>Over to the dark silhouette, looking at sea.<br/><br/><br/><br/>He moved in closer, and hesitantly hovered his hand on, then tapped, on his best friend's shoulder.<br/><br/>Akira broke from a trance, he seemed to almost be waking from a dream as he turned to face him. His eyes didn't glow now, but there was just a little hint of that red shining.<br/><br/>They just looked at each other. Eventually Ryuji understood that he was supposed to be the one to talk first.<br/><br/>He couldn't help but feel a blush rise up to his cheeks<br/><br/>"Y-You are crazy... you know that?"</p><p>Ah, great going Ryuji. Insult him first<br/><br/>Akira kind of opened his mouth as if to remark against him... then closed it.<br/><br/>Fuck, more blushing. "But.. uhm.. that was totally badass though"<br/><br/>Akira seemed to be caught off guard by this<br/><br/>"And.. I'm .. uh.. I'm really sorry. For everything I did."<br/><br/>"..."<br/><br/>"No."<br/><br/>Those words sank into Ryuji's gut. Was he wrong. Did Akira actually still hate him?<br/><br/>"No Ryuji. I'm sorry I pushed you away."<br/><br/>Ok, the flush had returned. Full throttle.<br/><br/>"Ahh, I mean, it's no big deal. I shouldn't have taken it as hard as I did and like, you were in your right... I kind overstepped some boundaries. Like, I did it now too, I shouldn't have followed you, or anything like that. I got us into this mess." He looked away, rubbing his neck<br/><br/>Akira shook his head<br/><br/>"I would have done something anyways. Without you, they would have still pulled that gun out. But without you, I wouldn't have had the confidence to do what I did."<br/><br/>Ryuji felt his insides melt. If Akira noticed, he just paused for a second, before continuing.<br/><br/>"I know I have.. something dark in me. I know it worries you."<br/><br/>Ryuji frowned. Yeah. Akira had just threatened to murder someone in front of him, in cold blood. Of course he was worried.<br/><br/>"It.. It kinda does yeah. Same for tonight. But.. I think I get it now. You're still my best bud, even if, well, sometimes... no offense... but you're scary as shit dude. I don't want you ending up killing someone cause you want to protect me. Just let me die. Seriously."<br/><br/>Akira gave a half choked snort.<br/><br/>"I was bluffing Ryuji. I wasn't gonna murder those guys in cold blood."<br/><br/>Ryuji blinked<br/><br/>"Dude if that was a bluff maybe you should give Ann some acting lessons. Holy shit. I think half the Pier pissed it's pants tonight."<br/><br/>Akira looked incredibly nervous.<br/><br/>"I guess I could have... " He paused, biting his own lip, and went quiet before attempting to talk again. "I just.. I used my Persona... Arsene? He is part of me, but he is not all of me. I just used him to make it look real because I guess, I do feel like that sometimes. But I have it under control."<br/><br/>He tried to calm himself down, by looking at the ocean<br/><br/>"I am still me. And that part of me, I chose it. I chose to embrace it and to not let it control me. I can use it to protect what matters to me. I'm not hiding it, any more."<br/><br/>Now Akira was looking at him. It was that same overwhelmed expression he'd first been given, when he asked him what he was doing in his room.<br/><br/>"You matter to me, Ryuji. You give me confidence. It's been a miserable couple of days without you."<br/><br/>Oh fuck. Yeah. Abort mission. Ryuji couldn't handle this.<br/><br/>Akira looked away. He was kinda nervously combing the back of his hoodie. Was he blushing too?<br/><br/>"Besides.. I was being stupid last weekend. I've.. I've never had someone come to me and give me a hug all of sudden like that.. when, you know.. things got bad.  I got overwhelmed but I.. didn't hate it..."<br/><br/>Both of their hearts were pounding.<br/><br/>Ryuji brusquely grabbed Akira's hand.<br/><br/>Akira felt his heart rate go up the roof, and turned around, with a small gasp<br/><br/>Only to feel his entire body being pulled, in a running motion<br/><br/>"Shit.. That girl called the cops! You hear those sirens? They can't find you man, we gotta run."<br/><br/>Oh. Right.<br/><br/>Ryuji dragged him off into the night.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>there is a specific trigger for Akira's red eyes<br/>cool points to anyone that figures out what it is</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akira kept holding Ryuji's hand.<br/><br/>They ran, past the pier, across the beach, under the moonlight<br/><br/><br/>Ryuji didn't stop until they found themselves at the edge of the small park, that would lead them back to their balconies.<br/><br/>They stared at each other.<br/><br/>Ryuji suddenly shook himself out of it, and let go of Akira<br/><br/><br/>"Uh.. right. Sorry." He looked embarrassed. "We should sneak back in, quickly. I don't think that girl was from our school, but a lot of schools stay in this complex. If the teachers know about the accident they could check the rooms. They can't find you missing if they do that."<br/><br/>Akira looked at him, with that usual kind yet inscrutable expression. He seems to be staring at the hand he'd just used to hold him. Ryuji felt his embarrassment increase.<br/><br/>"You're bleeding, Ryuji"<br/><br/>Ryuji dropped his mouth open slightly. "Really? Shit I..." His voice raised itself louder than usual.<br/><br/>Akira quickly put a hand over his mouth to shush him, moving in closer. Ryuji made a muffled sound against it, indignantly, but then stopped himself. Akira was looking right into his eyes, so close, with this feeling of.. wonder? There was barely any light to see him, but he just could.<br/><br/>Akira moved his hand away from his mouth, and brushed it gently into his hair. <br/><br/>He showed the few fingers he had run through at him. They were gooey, under the moonlight. Just the slightest tinge of red.<br/><br/>"Blood, see? I'm just bruised but.. They beat you up good." There was a hint of pain in his voice. Perhaps, regret. Of not having acted sooner.<br/><br/>Ryuji reminded himself he needed to breathe.<br/><br/>"...Your roommate might suspect something if he sees you like this."<br/><br/>Oh. Right. He was probably going to be back at this hour. He doubted his girlfriend was going to let him stay over, not since, from what Ryuji had been able to tell, it was very likely she was rooming with Ann.<br/><br/>"I'm staying with Mishima. I think we could trust him. He kind of already knows about us, even if we keep denying him."<br/><br/>Ryuji sure hoped Akira meant the Phantom Thieves.<br/><br/>"Sojiro gave me a first aid kit, for the trip. It's better than nothing. You could have a concussion too. You should stay with us for the night."<br/><br/>What. What was happening?<br/><br/>Was Akira... acting fussy about him? He was pretty sure he could survive the night, and come up with an excuse or something if he was questioned. He'd never seen the guy this worried about him. He could take a beating. He wasn't the one that weathered a gun pointed to his forehead. It wasn't really that big of a deal.<br/><br/>Then again.. going back to his room, after what he'd just been through... Yeah, he would have rather been with Akira. Even if it came in a Mishima package. This wasn't their first near death experience, and he was pretty sure both he and Akira had come to terms with the danger of their way of life long since Kamoshida, but everything was different in the metaverse. They had personas... powers. They could protect themselves and heal themselves if any of them fell. This was the first he'd experienced near death in the real world. For some reason it just felt... like it mattered more.<br/><br/>Maybe.. Akira felt the same? He looked so confident back then, and he looked his usual, placid self now... but it must not have been easy.<br/><br/>"Ah... Ahem.. I guess yeah, I could do that. Way easier to explain why I'm missing if I don't show up in my room bleeding."<br/><br/>Akira nodded, slowly.<br/><br/>"You think you can climb back up?"<br/><br/>Ryuji massaged his shoulder<br/><br/>"Can't say it'll be quick. A lot of shit hurts right now. But I think I could pull it off, yeah."<br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/>Mishima was pacing nervously in his room. Every now and then, he would check the phantom thieves website, then stop to worry again.<br/><br/>It had been way more than one hour now. It was nearing midnight. What the fuck. Where did he go. And.. didn't Akira have a criminal record? Wasn't this going to put him in serious trouble if it came out? What was he even trying to do.. some.. phantom thieves business in Hawaii? The website hadn't really gotten too many requests from over there!<br/><br/>One hour was a lot of time to rationalize, but he still couldn't get over what he'd seen, when Akira had so confidently implied to him he was the real deal. For a second, he thought he'd seen a mask over his face. Beautifully refined, venetian. It had given Akira this aura of.. elegance and danger. Mishima had almost felt his heart getting robbed then and there, just from the sheer awe the guy exuded. Just a few seconds, then the mask was gone.<br/><br/>Could he have flashed it, in his mind. But why? He.. wasn't really sure on his hunch, that Akira and his friends were phantom thieves.  They kept denying him and then there was still the fact that he had no idea how in the world some high school students like them could do the things they did. It made no sense. But some deep part of him had told him it didn't matter, that.. he needed to believe. He needed to because.. he was nothing before the Phantom Thieves had swooped in to save him. <br/><br/>A loser<br/><br/>Trash<br/><br/>Kamoshida's slave... the lowest of the low.<br/><br/>And now, instead, he was a hero, like them. He had purpose. It didn't matter that he was scum, that he had no girlfriend or friends, because he was out there, changing the world with them. Whomever they were.<br/><br/>But, he never thought he'd actually be right. About Akira. He just thought it was a convenient delusion.. or that maybe he was just a contact of theirs. It was convenient and suspicious that sending Akira targets for change of hearts almost always resulted in their hearts actually changing... But he didn't picture Akira actually being responsible for those changes...<br/><br/>He never thought he'd see a phantom thief in the flesh.<br/><br/>And it made sense now, not a delusion, that Akira was an actual thief. Because what he had seen there... wasn't normal. It felt.. supernatural. The past criminal record, that ridiculous agility and.. that mask.<br/><br/>It was fine to believe in some fantasy, but now that fantasy had become real. What in the world had he gotten himself into? M.. Maybe it was too much for him. God.. it was going to make him hyperventilate. How was he going to keep being his roommate for 4 more days.. the guy was.. the guy was some sort of superhero or something.<br/><br/>In his nervous pacing, he hadn't noticed a figure, bloodied, a bit sluggishly climb over the balcony and drop, with a muffled "Ow". The blonde intruder had picked himself off slowly and walked inside the room from the open balcony door, still to Mishima's obliviousness. He had opened the minibar and grabbed a bottle.<br/><br/>Mishima turned to stare at Ryuji, squatting, head bloody, body bruised, chugging some Fiji water, and staring at him.<br/><br/>"What?"<br/><br/><br/><br/>"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"<br/><br/>"Shhh Mishima! Keep it down!"<br/><br/>"What are you!!??? "<br/><br/>"Ugh, do I have to do this..? I'm kinda hurt, you know..."<br/><br/>"W-What is this what the hell are you bleeding?? WHy are you in MDHDGFHFDgJS"<br/><br/>Ryuji had, with a groan, raised himself up to walk to him, and massaging his back, he had grabbed him and put a hand on his mouth to shush him.<br/><br/>"I'm with Akira. Look, he's coming in! If you shout, people will notice him."<br/><br/>He pointed at the balcony, where a raven haired boy was just about done climbing over the railing, a little bit more elegantly than Ryuji. Akira looked bruised as well, but not bleeding, at least. He walked in, taking off his wind jacket, and stared for a second. Mishima felt himself go limp, and stopped struggling against Ryuji, who lowered his hand.<br/><br/>"What happened to you guys!!!??"<br/><br/>Some knocks were heard on the wall, from the room next door. A muffled. 'Go the fuck to sleep or I'm calling your teacher'. None of them could recognize the voice, but it got all three of them to quiet down.<br/><br/>Akira grimaced. This wasn't gonna be easy.<br/><br/>"We got into a fight. We didn't start it. I'm just going to give Ryuji some first aid." He said quietly, as he crouched down to grab some supplies off his suitcase.<br/><br/>Mishima just stared at them, flabbergasted. "A.. A fight? Like.. out there? W-with like, some americans?"<br/><br/>Ryuji grinned tiredly. "They wanted to show us their hospitality. We didn't start the fight but we sure as hell finished it!"<br/><br/>Holy Shit. "W-wait seriously? Does this have to do with the teacher running down the corridor before?! There was kind of a small ruckus while you guys were gone, I was keeping watch. I-I.. was worried somebody would ask for Akira, since you.. ahem. You told me to cover for you.. "<br/><br/>Akira nodded slowly. "Thank you for that, Mishima." He had a first aid kid in his hands, and he was now heading for the bathroom sink.<br/><br/>Ryuji smiled and put an arm around Mishima's shoulder. It smelled like blood, sweat and saltwater "Yeah dude, honestly, you shouldn't have let this guy out of here, but at least you saved his ass from expulsion tonight. You're a great accomplice"<br/><br/>Mishima froze, and went beet red<br/><br/>"A... Accomplice!??"<br/><br/>Oh, he was feeling woozy.<br/><br/>Akira shook his head, moving closer to Ryuji.<br/><br/>"I don't think he deserves us messing with him." He said, gently, not really feeling the strength to laugh at the situation currently. He got his arm off Mishima, guiding him over to the edge of his bed. Ryuji seemed confused at the handling.<br/><br/>"Dude, what, no, I can do my own first aid."<br/><br/>"You can barely stand up. You need a mirror and the only one's on the bathroom wall. Let me do this." Akira's voice didn't seem to allow for any debate. He had got some wet cotton from the bathroom, and was now cleaning the head bruise. Ryuji, who originally protested, just went quiet and let him do it.  Mishima stood there frozen. What the hell was happening? He had to say something, he couldn't let them pretend this was normal. Whatever Akira and Ryuji did or.. were.. it could be dangerous, he was freaking out.. He had to know the truth or he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.. but he was so scared to ask...<br/><br/>"D-Did.."<br/><br/>"..Did.. did you guys steal a heart or something out there!?"<br/><br/><br/><br/>Both Ryuji and Akira had turned towards him, staring. Ryuji looked freaked out and Akira was.. blank. Mishima felt his bravado drop instantly. It was good for those two seconds it lasted.<br/><br/>Ryuji opened his mouth, then closed it. Akira sighed. Ryuji turned to him with a freaked out, questioning look.<br/><br/>"We didn't. We don't use violence for that." His tone was nonchalant.<br/><br/>Ryuji turned at him flabbergasted. "Dude. What are you doing?!?"<br/><br/>Akira just gave him a shrug. "You know he's been onto us for ages now. Besides, I admitted to it already. I needed someone to cover me."<br/><br/>"Man! you sold our secret to have an angst walk to the pier?!" Ryuji crossed his arms, pouting<br/><br/>Akira stopped cleaning him for a second. The small hint of a smile crept up on him, for the first time this evening.<br/><br/>"Ryuji you wanted to tell people we are phantom thieves to score dates."<br/><br/>"But I didn't, though"<br/><br/>"You yell about us being thieves every time you get a chance."<br/><br/>"That's not..! I've been getting better at that!"<br/><br/>"Hmm hmm"  Akira now outright smirked, as he went back to dressing his wound. Ryuji grumbled something under his breath.<br/><br/><br/>Mishima was looking at them with a gaping mouth. Akira kept an eye on him, mid work. He eventually sighed, and turned towards him, looking serious.<br/><br/>"We found two thugs at the pier, they were harassing a student, she was Japanese, but not from Shujin. Ryuji stood up for her first, and got hurt the most cause of it." He paused, for a second, his expression darkening. "We both got her to escape, and then we managed to make them run. That's what happened."<br/><br/>He looked Mishima in the eye. "Mishima, you already know about me and I'm.. well. I'm on probation. If word gets out that I left my room outside curfew, they could expel me and I could get juvenile. I won't force you but I ask that you please don't let teachers or, well, anyone, know that I wasn't here. I'm sorry for burdening you."<br/><br/>His voice sounded tired, but sincere. There was an unusual intensity behind that gentle gaze.<br/><br/>Mishima couldn't help but feel a little more at ease from that, but.. wait no. He knew this was extremely sketchy.<br/><br/>"You know, if you think we are thugs too or something, not sure if my word counts for much, but this guy did nothing to deserve that probation. the whole damn court that sentenced him was rotten. He told me the story and it makes no freaking sense."<br/><br/>Akira sighed. "If he sees us as thugs already, I doubt he'll take your word for it." He said, as he placed a plaster over Ryuji's forehead.<br/><br/>He remembered how the both of them had run into Kamoshida's office, that day Shiho jumped. The genuine anger on their faces. That's when they'd started that whole thing, wasn't it? It was also the first day he'd felt like maybe someone cared about him.<br/><br/>They weren't like that. Were they?<br/><br/>He bit his lip.<br/><br/>"Alright.. yeah. I can do that. If you say the Phantom Thieves don't use violence, I'll believe you.. "</p><p>He clenched his fists.<br/><br/>"B-But. I need to know. How do you do it then? How do you steal hearts? Is it that mask?"</p><p>The duo in front of him went completely still. <br/><br/>"M.. Mask? What mask? I don't know about a mask?" Ryuji was sweating.<br/><br/>"The one on Akira's face. It looked fancy. White.. Black ornaments around the eyes. I saw it and then it vanished in thin air, it.. it wasn't normal!"<br/><br/>".... Are you sure you didn't just hallucinate that? I mean, no offense dude, that sounds totally whack.. ahahahah." Yeah, Ryuji didn't sound convincing<br/><br/>"No.. No. I'm sure I saw it. I... I know what I saw!"<br/><br/>Akira had gone deadly quiet for that whole exchange.<br/><br/>He'd stopped dressing Ryuji's wounds<br/><br/>His finger grabbed at his trousers just slightly, as he thought.<br/><br/>He hadn't used the nav. His phone was stashed away and he checked the app ever so often before just in case he got a hit. There wasn't a palace here. Mishima hadn't somehow seen that in the metaverse.<br/><br/>Well then. His.. eye condition.. had gotten worse.<br/><br/>His heart started pumping. It was getting a bit harder to breathe.<br/><br/>"Dude.. are you okay?"<br/><br/>Ryuji looked at him worriedly<br/><br/>"I'm .. agh" He grasped at his chest. Now Mishima looked worried too. Ryuji, despite being tired, was instantly on him, trynna keep him up. He was swaying, just a bit.<br/><br/>"Just, breathe, allright?" Ryuji was a beat down himself but he was still offering his shoulder for support.<br/><br/>This was not good. Akira shrugged off the pain. He had to defuse this.<br/><br/>"I think the fight got to me too. Sorry Mishima, we can talk about this but, can it be tomorrow? It's been a long day."<br/><br/>Mishima looked between worried and embarrassed now. He definitely didn't feel as nervous as before, though.<br/><br/>"I'm.. sorry for asking. It's not like I don't believe in you guys, it's just.. well.. it's all a bit much you know.."<br/><br/>Mishima shook his head.<br/><br/>"I'm sure you guys have been through a lot. I guess it just freaked me out." He exhaled, closing his eyes<br/><br/>"You can tell me when you want to. I promise I won't say anything to anyone... I chose to believe in you, after all"<br/><br/>He opened his eyes again, meeting Akira's<br/><br/>Akira nodded. in between the pain, he managed to smile, reassuringly.<br/><br/>Mishima felt conflicting emotions.<br/><br/>"Uhm.. so anyways. we should sleep soon. I don't wanna be dead tomorrow. Is he going to stay here?" He looked at Ryuji<br/><br/>Ryuji sighed. "Please have me as a guest" He said, in a deadpan tone. "I'll take the couch."<br/><br/>Akira felt his breathing slowing down.<br/><br/></p><hr/><p> </p><p>It was the dead of night. They had all showered, cleaned up, and gone to bed. Mishima was quietly snoring next to the both of them.<br/><br/>Ryuji couldn't sleep. His neck was killing him. He was happy to be there and not in the other room, but damn, it looked like he was going to spend his full day in Hawaii sleep deprived.<br/><br/>Then again, comfort or not, he wasn't probably going to sleep anyways<br/><br/><em> Akira looking at him, with a gun pointed at his head. Sharp metal on his neck. </em></p><p>Shit. He couldn't stop thinking about it. He was gonna have nightmares, wasn't he.<br/><br/>He wasn't new to this. He'd have a nightmare now and again. Their missions weren't easy. People got hurt. He didn't want to sulk on things. This was the path they all had chosen as phantom thieves. He was doing the right thing, that meant there was sacrifice.<br/><br/>Losing Akira though... that was a sacrifice he didn't even want to begin thinking of.<br/><br/>He groaned and picked himself up slowly from the couch, sitting up and massaging his neck. Yeah. It was gonna be painful walking tomorrow. He'd also need to come up with some excuse for the bruises.<br/><br/>He noticed red eyes, staring at him from a few meters, slightly radiant in the darkness.<br/><br/>The panic didn't last this time. This time, even though it was still unsettling, he couldn't help but know this was his friend.<br/><br/>"You can't sleep either, uh?" He smiled, keeping his voice low<br/><br/>"... Morgana's not here to knock me out." The voice sounded tired, but sarcastic.<br/><br/>"...Your eyes are doing that thing, again, by the way. They're kinda glowing, I thought you should know..."<br/><br/>Akira went quiet. Ryuji could see the shadows of fingers moving in front of the eyes.<br/><br/>"... I don't know why it keeps happening."<br/><br/>"Maybe you're slowly turning into a cat demon. You know they have weird glowy traffic light eyes too. It's because Morgana spends too much time with you."<br/><br/>He heard a snort coming from Akira's direction. Then silence.<br/><br/>"Do I look creepy?"<br/><br/>Ryuji now was the one snorting<br/><br/>"What? No.. noooo.."<br/><br/>"..."<br/><br/>"Okay a bit yeah, but I got over the whole thing since the cafe. They don't scare me that much anymore."<br/><br/>"Why not? Now I'm sad. Are my demon eyes a joke to you?" The tone was deadpan sarcastic.<br/><br/>Ryuji couldn't believe it. This guy. He was trying to make light of it.<br/><br/>The red light had dimmed as well.<br/><br/>"I told you, it's cause I know it's you. You wouldn't hurt a fly."<br/><br/>"I could have shot a guy."<br/><br/>The both of them went quiet.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>"I wish I could turn it off. If normal people can see them, it could sell me, or all of us out." Akira murmured. The playful tone was gone.<br/><br/>"I don't think the thugs did. Your eyes kinda went like that during that fight too. If I had seen you with glowing red eyes, without knowing you, I would have run for the hills instantly, not spent my time trying to bargain... Maybe it's kind of like.. Morgana. We can only hear him speak cause we saw him speak in the metaverse. So maybe I can only see your eyes cause I saw them there too..."<br/><br/>"Mishima saw the mask."<br/><br/>"... Yeah." </p><p>Ryuji exhaled.<br/><br/>".. We just gotta find out how this is happening. I'm sure once we get it we'll be able to work something out..." He wondered if his skull mask would materialize, for everyone else to see. As much as he'd always wanted to feel cool and recognized, the thought made him nervous.<br/><br/>He tried to drop back onto the couch. His neck cracked a bit trying to rest over his pillow. "Ow"<br/><br/>Akira had taken notice.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>"Do you wanna just share the bed?"<br/><br/>Ryuji stopped mid pillow struggle to stare at Akira. Was he tripping or had he just...<br/><br/>"Your neck looks busted. Bed's pretty big. I use little space cause I've gotten used to sleeping with Morgana next to me since I got here."<br/><br/>Ryuji thanked the lord for the lack of light because he was pretty sure he was flushing hard.<br/><br/>"I'm gonna swap with you and take the couch otherwise. You're a lot more injured than me."<br/><br/>"What, no, it's fine, I can just try to... ow." In his shuffling, he hit a sore spot and pain went through his spine.<br/><br/>"Alright, I'm getting up.." Akira muttered, shuffling covers<br/><br/>Ryuji felt guilty "Wait, no, don't." He swallowed. "I'll get over there. just don't complain if you wake up with my leg over your face."<br/><br/>He stood up slowly, body aching. Shit. Was he really gonna do this? I mean. It.. it was fine. He didn't have to make it weird. He did want some sleep and.. they were two friends, he had shared a tent or a large futon with some guy friends before... when they were kids... and they weren't that handsome...<br/><br/>"I have a condition though: We are not telling the girls about this."<br/><br/>He heard a quiet chuckle where Akira was. "Deal."<br/><br/><br/></p><hr/><p><br/><br/><br/>Very hesitantly, he plopped himself on the bed. It was warm. He saw Akira shuffle to the other side, making space.<br/><br/>He laid there in silence, trying to calm down and relax his aching body. Akira was right. The bed was soft and his neck was doing so much better. His friend was keeping a decent distance, enough not to embarrass him, but he could feel his warmth, scent and hear his quiet breathing. It felt soothing. He almost felt like he could fall asleep now, without too many nightmares.<br/><br/>"This better for you?" Akira's voice was soft.<br/><br/>"... Yeah." He paused, refusing to look Akira in the eyes. "We should go to sleep. We are gonna have to explain ourselves tomorrow, and walk around a bunch. It's gonna suck."<br/><br/>"Yeah... it's kind of our own fault." The playfulness was back.<br/><br/>"Why are you in such a good mood." Ryuji sighed.<br/><br/>"I'm talking to you again."<br/><br/>Ryuji went quiet.<br/><br/>"Y.. You don't gotta be that sappy, man."<br/><br/>"I mean it. You're my best friend."<br/><br/>Why was Akira like this? He always had to make simple statements that came out of a quiet mellow nowhere and cut through loads of crap and social barriers to get straight to the point, or, in the case of a joke, the punchline. Extra strong effect if he smirked and adjusted his glasses while he was at it. Ryuji's heart wasn't ready to be slammed with raw emotions just now.<br/><br/>He could not deal with praise. He never felt like he deserved it.<br/><br/>"You told me a while back, that you cherished me. I never told you how much I cherished you. Maybe if I did, I wouldn't have scared you that much, and you wouldn't have run away."<br/><br/>"... Dude.. you don't gotta do this. Besides. I keep messing up, I don't blame you for..."<br/><br/>"You didn't mess up though."<br/><br/>Quiet.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>"I just wasn't used to the idea that someone, for once in my life, wouldn't reject.. well. Wouldn't reject my true self. So I got scared."<br/><br/>Ryuji turned to stare at Akira now. His eyes were a dim red. His tone downcast.<br/><br/>"It's the same reason why I never told you guys anything about my family, or where I came from. I've.. always been unwanted. I figured I could start fresh, in a new city, with a new life. If I'd told you about all of my past, I would have shown all of myself, and then you guys would have left as well. That's what I thought"<br/><br/>"Akira..."<br/><br/>"That call... I was trying to reach my dad. It was my birthday."<br/><br/>Wait, what?<br/><br/>"Dude?! Why didn't you tell me!?!"<br/><br/>"I didn't tell any of you guys. Not even Morgana or Sojiro."<br/><br/>"But why?"<br/><br/>"... I haven't celebrated my birthday once, ever since I can remember. Apparently I was thrown a party when I was a toddler. That's before my mother decided she didn't want me as a son and left."<br/><br/>Ryuji felt his stomach sink. His fists clenched, and he tensed considerably, his pain forgotten.<br/><br/>Akira reached with a hand. He put it over his shoulder. his voice was cracking a bit.<br/><br/>"Don't. You're gonna wake Mishima."<br/><br/>"I can't believe your family would..." Ryuji's tone was seething. He stopped himself from continuing.<br/><br/>Akira was quiet for a while.<br/><br/>"My dad took care of me, but I was mostly left to myself. He just cared that I fit into society and did well at school. He wouldn't come home most of the week. I think the last time I spoke to him was weeks before the trial. Didn't try to visit me in jail. Didn't try to help me find a lawyer or anything."<br/><br/>Akira exhaled. Ryuji wondered if he, too, was glad it was dark. It was easier to hide the feelings on your face.<br/><br/>"I hadn't tried contacting him once since I got here. With how successful I've been at studying and keeping good under parole and how.. well... how successful the Thieves have been... I thought I could be confident in front of him. Maybe he could have acknowledged me. I obviously was too hopeful."<br/><br/>Ryuji was dead quiet. That sinking feeling had turned into smoldering hot anger, but Akira was so calm and his hand gripped on his shoulder.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>" You.. you dumbass!"<br/><br/>Wide, red eyes, looking at him. The hand had retracted from his shoulder.<br/><br/>"I can't believe you've been dealing with all of this, all this time, all by yourself! Why didn't you tell any of us! I told you my story. You know I would have understood! I bet all of us would have! You know most of our pasts!"<br/><br/>Mishima stirred away from them. Shit, he'd been too loud. Akira was dead quiet.<br/><br/>Ryuji serrated his lips, lowering his voice to a whisper, and moving in closer so Akira could hear it. he'd pretty much forgotten about his previous reservations.<br/><br/>"I was worried sick about you. Ever since I saw Arsene I knew you were suffering, but I didn't say anything. You could have talked to me. You could have talked to any of us. Maybe we couldn't have helped with your family, or society being shitty, but we would have accepted you! We would have made it lighter on you! Akira you.."<br/><br/>His voice caught in his throat for a second.<br/><br/>"..You're the coolest dude I ever met. Seriously. You're not just a badass, you're.. you're so kind. You help everyone, even assholes like me that get you in trouble. You just keep helping and helping and giving yourself to people just cause you can... So..." Ryuji felt emotion built in him.<br/><br/>"...So why the hell won't you ask our help for once? Society... your parents.. they're blind idiots if they can't see it and decide not to care, because you are a treasure to us!"<br/><br/>Silence<br/><br/>Ryuji tried to make eye contact again, Akira's eyes.. their red.. was fading.</p><p>It was completely dark now.<br/><br/>"Akira?" He questioned, hesitantly, that when he heard a half broken gasp coming from the other, as if something that was being held in had finally been let out.<br/><br/>"Dude are you..." He had moved an arm to try and reach for him<br/><br/>He had touched a wet cheek<br/><br/>Akira's hand had quickly grabbed Ryuji's, about to pull it away, but then had stopped, as if giving up.<br/><br/>"I'm.. yeah.."<br/><br/>Shit. Once again, he'd messed his friend up.<br/><br/>He.. he had to fix it. He had to overcome his fear and hope Akira would let him. Screw making it weird or not.<br/><br/>He moved in closer, and squeezed his hand.<br/><br/>Akira approached suddenly and hugged him, tight.<br/><br/><br/><br/>The next morning, Mishima would find Ryuji snoaring, sprawled all over the bed and Akira quietly sleeping by his side.<br/><br/>Their hands still holding onto each other.</p>
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